Troubled Waters

Zoe Ardelay, chosen to become the king's fifth wife, is a coru prime ruled by the elemental sign of water. She must return to the palace, not as an unwilling bride for the king, but a woman with power in her own right. But as Zoe unlocks more of the mysteries of her blood--and the secrets of the royal family--she must decide how to use her great power to rise above the deceptions and intrigue of the royal court.

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Fairly enjoyable but not exactly exciting. The world created is interesting enough but not amazing. It lacks a bit of depth that I'd expect from an adult novel. It seems suitable for teens though perhaps lacking in the push and pull angst filled romance teens enjoy.

I thoroughly enjoyed following Zoe's story and finding out about the world she lives in - love the random blessings and the richness of the world that Shinn has developed. I did find that sometimes the story dragged and I got a bit impatient waiting for Zoe to do something instead of just surviving and waiting for things to happen to her.

** spoiler alert ** I really enjoy Shinn's work, but I felt this story was a bit muddled in itself. I had two prominent issues with it. The first is the reason Zoe is brought to the capitol. It shifts so much, and the timeline falls apart. Darien claims he didn't know Zoe's role in her mother's family before he left, but at the end confesses he did even though she wasn't announced as it until after he left. The whole timeline and reason for picking her up is just... unpolished. I'm not used to that in a Shinn story.

The second issue I had was more the flow of the plot. Honestly, there was no plot for good parts of the book. She's just living. I think halfway through I realized Shinn might be trying to write in the technique of the particular elemental, in this case water. So Zoe is swept into different directions with seemingly no overarching goals. She has a number of events happen to her, but she plays a very inactive role aside for two or three confusing events (where she maybe breaks out of character?). It was hard to truly follow the character, and that might be what Shinn was going for. A character that embodies changeable wild water.

The premise of the five elements and blessings is good, but I'm uncertain about reading the next book that follows Josetta. And it makes me sad I question it as Shinn is often cited as one of my favorite authors.

One of the things I love about Sharon Shinn is how fully developed her worlds and characters are. Troubled Waters is no exception. The culture is rich and vibrant, the characters are complex, and the story is fascinating. The political intrigue is masterfully done. There are layers and layers of secrets and motivations that kept me engrossed. All in all, another fantastic story by Sharon Shinn.

I loved this book. It was such a good book that I finished it in only 2 days! Although this is an adult book it would be suitable for teens as well since this is not a romantic or graphic book. It is just simply a good fantasy novel.

I liked the characters in this book. The premise that we have certain traits is like the Chinese system just taken to the extreme. An interesting society that kept me entertained and thoughtful. I would recommend this book to anyone not just fantasy fans.

Quotes

. . . that was the point of random blessings: You were not supposed to show caution or discrimination about the people you approached. You were supposed to rely on the people who had been sent to you by the unchoreographed currents of the universe. You were supposed to understand that wisdom could be imparted by anyone, no matter how unexpected, that everyone had a gift to bestow.